The current state of our game and our country

Most of the people on the boards these days don't know who I am (and quite frankly, I prefer it that way), so do. Some remember what it was like to go to every airsoft game and actually be able to identify and relate to every person on both teams. Some of the best times I ever had playing airsoft were before the slew of obnoxious rules and limitations that have come and gone over the years.

I used to be a moderator (and then administrator) on these forums years back, and from time to time I've jumped on the forums to read and check up on them. I can tell you this much: we face the same issues today as we did when I was still a forum admin. Back when I was involved with the moderator staff, I made a bunch of ludicrously heavy-handed rules, and enforced them with an iron fist. It got old real fast, for everyone involved. In the end I eventually realized that you can't stop the tides of change with rules and laws. Lets face it: this game has changed....a lot.

Back when I started the was a single company that made AEGs: Marui, and countless companies that (at the time) made upgrades for those Maruis, some of those companies would go on to manufacture AEGs themselves (classic army, etc). As I briefly mentioned earlier, it wasn't uncommon to go to a game and know everyone there. Hell, a "HUGE" game in those days consisted of about 75 people. Nowadays that seems like a "low" turnout for some of the named events that have been going. As far as the gear, we had two or three options options: static style blackhawk vists, old school ALICE gear, or the then relatively new and prohibitively expensive MOLLE gear.

Now there are over a dozen AEG manufacturers (although almost all of them are ripoffs of Marui designs), dozens of tactical gear companies making both static and modular vests, and games with people you've never met or heard of.

With increased membership comes anonymity and unfamiliarity, and with that comes problems.

AO once had a class of players that went out of their way to try to help people, of which I'm ashamed to say I wasn't one of them. I've recently run into people who were noobs when I was a moderator who have talked to me about the forums and the game in general going downhill. Part of me wonders if this is a cycle that people just go through when they spend time on the forums, but another part of me believes that it is a problem present in our culture as Americans.

There was a time not too long ago when we would help our neighbors (whom you would actually personally know), hold open doors for people, be kind to people until they proved themselves unworth of it, donate time and money to charities, give rides to people that needed it.

Now it seems like every year at Christmas someone gets into a fight over some stupid *** gadget or toy that will be obsolete by the time the next Christmas rolls around. People barely use their turn signals. I've had more doors slam in my face than I've had people hold them open for me.

In point of fact, it is now SURPRISING to me when people do something nice for me, and that has recently started to scare me.

I believe what we as a country and community need is for us to start doing the right thing(s) again. Hold open doors for people, yield the right of way to people. If there is only one toy on the shelf, and you and another person reach for it, let them have it.

Too often as Americans (and AO members) we sell our integrity for stupid gadgets and cool **** that we don't really need. I don't know about you, but I don't want my tombstone to say "he had lots of cool ****, but he was a ****."

With that in mind, I hope that you'll do me the honor in joining me in being kinder and more observant to those around you. Americans were once a proud, kind, generous people, and we need to get back to that.

Join a civic organization, donate money to charity, hold doors open for people. Everyone can do something to help someone else. Give someone some ammo in the field, give them a ride to a game, let them borrow/have some of your old gear. If someone is injured or hungry, help them or feed them.

There is no longer any excuse for apathy or unobservance. We deserve better from each other, and more importantly, from ourselves.

Comments

Great blog Loki.
Is it weird that i feel like AO and airsoft in general has become hostile. We used to be a community that wherever you went if you met another airsofter you were automatically cool with that guy, or like you said, you knew almost everyone at an event.

I remember the first Springfield and real airsoft game I attended, i had a group of dudes invite me over to their cars and showed me the ropes of a regular milsim game because it looked like i was completely lost (I was.) . Now i saw a kid walk over to a group to ask a question and a guy before the kid got a word off, told him to **** off because he was green. That was the first time i was disgusted of a players action at an Op.

Moving on with hostility. Instead of the friendly bickering with paintballers, we have airsofter cursing airsofter out because they don't do GEAR IMPRESSIONS or because they wear a certain type of gear or run a gun without accessories? I'm quite sickened of what we have become. Sure i haven't been here nearly as long as any of the mods or Loki or other members, but i was sure as here long enough, seen enough threads and talked to enough people to see what we used to be This is why I feel we need to hit restart on this community. Instead of AO being one big team, there are a bunch of gangs. The friendliness that there even in 2010 isn't there anymore.
-Drew.

Definitely hit some points dead on! I always try to encourage my guys to be welcoming and project a good image of ourselves to other airsofters as well as the sport to the general public. We as a community need more high caliber players on and off the field, players that extend a welcome hand and attitude to others.

I couldn't agree more.
Just because you're new doesn't mean you are completely ignorant. (in most cases)
Also, I try to help as much as possible, and be courteous, etc. And I agree, I go to a restaraunt and the only people who have good manners are the senior citizens, because they grew up in an age where there parents taught them good manners.
Now I'm surprised when I see someone under the age of 20 hold the door, something so small and easy; yet it goes far.

Awesome blog loki. We were all noobs once and had fellow players teach us the ropes. For me I became a noob at 45 years old and now at 50 I try to watch and observe as much as I can at every game I play. I then try to teach the new players that are now joining our sport the right way to play and treat others on and off the field.

As for holding doors, I don't care who you are if I am coming up to a door and you are there I will hold the door for you. It is all in how many of us were raised growing up!

Ah, the Iron Fist of Loki...those were the days! Lol. I couldn't agree more with everything you said. When I first joined AO, more than a decade ago, everyone was incredibly helpful and friendly. Knowledgeable members gave very informed and detailed posts (how many of you remember DumboRat?). It was the golden age of AO. Since that time, everything has changed, some good, some not so much. But I think players of all ages and experience levels would benefit from taking your advice here.